Nagasaki marks 70th anniversary of atomic bombing

TOKYO: Japan on Sunday marked the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki that claimed more than 74,000 lives almost instantly, in one of the final chapters of World War II. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe laid a wreath of flowers, with representatives from 75 countries attending the ceremony. “As the only country attacked with an atomic bomb in war, I am renewing our determination to lead the global effort of nuclear disarmament, to create a world without such weapons,” Abe said in his speech. Abe also said the country would continue to abide by its long-held non-nuclear principles: not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons on Japanese territory. He was criticized for failing to mention the three principles at a ceremony days earlier in Hiroshima, particularly at a time when the nationalist leader is trying to push through legislation to expand the role of the military.